Now that he's retired, psychotherapist Hal Brown of Middleboro finds that sharing his ideas is his own personal therapy.

Detroit Tigers win pennant - in Africa

About this blog

By Hal Brown

Hal Brown of Middleboro earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in social work at Michigan State University and went on to be a mental health center director and psychotherapist. He has always had a passion for writing, and has been on the
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Hal Brown of Middleboro earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in social work at Michigan State University and went on to be a mental health center director and psychotherapist. He has always had a passion for writing, and has been on the internet since the days you had to learn HTML code to publish a website.

He told me about how all the merchants that carry sports merchandise would be working after hours.

They’d be waiting anxiously to find out if they’d be happily putting all the Red Sox 2013 American League Championship clothes and other merchandise on display, and on the racks and shelves.

Obviously, all the manufactures not only have to make two sets of everything, they have to ship them to their stores in the areas of the competing teams.

I was wondering where the losing teams sports merchandise end up. Proving again that you can search for anything, and get answers, on the Internet, I found out that as I suspected, the clothing is put to good use in third world countries in over 40 countries. Many of them are in Africa.

Look at the happy faces of children on this website. They seem blissfully unaware they are wearing the bright new hats and shirts proclaiming the losing Chicago Bears the winner of the 2007 Super Bowl.

When you consider the sheer amount of merchandise made forAmerican baseball, football, basketball, and hockey championships that goes around the world, it is amazing to think of all the happy kids and grownups wearing the shirts and hats of the losers.

Think of this. Take a look at the assortment of items available on one of the fan merchandise websites for the Sox (which also had to be up and running right after last night's game). Some of the jackets retail for $75, and there are a few authentic jerseys for $200. No doubt some lucky folks overseas will be wearing the Detroit versions. The typical website has hundreds of items.

There was even a bikini panty with a "B" located in the only place in the front which had room for it.

I doubt if the recipients of the corporate largess even care that they are getting the loser's, the poor sad loser's, apparel. They get some really nice, spanking new, brightly colored, cool "stuff." Yes, it's the stuff of tears today in Detroit, but even as I write this blog, it's being trucked to the airport for a long overseas flight.

Here’s an interesting factoid:

For fear of confusing and traumatizing the losing team and its fans, the NFL's deal with World Vision stipulates that the gear cannot be sold or even seen in the United States.

"You don't want the losing teams' garments to go into the marketplace. It's not fair to those fans. It's not fair to those teams. It's not fair to the coaching staff," said NFL consumer products VP Susan McBridge Rothman. ABC News

So if you’re a Tigers fan, don’t expect to get your hands one of those Tigers win the pennant shirts. Many are being worn in Africa where they don’t even have tigers. There’s hope for the Africans yet if the Lions loose their next championship.

I thought I could find anything with an Internet search. Google failed me in the most important query for this blog.

Where are the $22 Detroit Tigers championship beer steins going?

If you have the answered to this burning question, or have an idea for a topic for me to write about, or a question or a correction, for me, feel free to email me here. I will not share your email address with anyone.